As described in PCT WO91/15954, incorporated herein by reference, and in Wiemer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,842, many anthraquinones and their anthraquinol and tetrahydroxyanthraquinone derivatives inhibit sulfide production from sulfate-reducing bacteria. Thus, they potentially useful for treating industrial media in which biological sulfide generation is a problem. The term sulfate-reducer encompasses a broad spectrum of organisms across both eubacterial and archaebacterial branches of bacterial phylogeny. Many sulfate-reducing bacteria are known, particularly those of the genera Desulfovibrio, Desulfotomaculum, Desulfobacter, Desulfobulbus, Desulfococcus, Desulfonema, Desulfosarcina and Thermodesulfobacterium.
There are currently about 130 different industrial biocide products registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Although many have demonstrated effectiveness against sulfate-reducing bacteria, none are specific for these bacteria. These biocides can not be used in situations in which it is desired to inhibit sulfate-reducing bacteria, but not adversely affect other bacteria, as in, for example, municipal sewage treatment plants.